Academic Policies and Requirements

Definition of Terms

Academic Year: The academic year is divided into three terms: fall, spring and summer.

Attendance: Students enrolled for credit or audit are expected to attend all class sessions. Instructors will take attendance.

Absences do not relieve students of the responsibility for missed assignments and exams. Students must take the initiative in arranging with their instructors to make up missed work.

A student who misses the first class meeting and has not contacted the instructor, or who misses two consecutive class meetings in the first week may be dropped from the course. A student with excessive absences may be dropped from a course (see the Schedule of Classes for additional information regarding attendance requirements.) If a student is dropped from a course for non-attendance he or she is also dropped from corequisite courses. A student should not assume he/she will be dropped automatically.

A student who is dropped by an instructor for non-attendance is notified by mail. The instructor’s decision is final, but if the student disagrees with the action he or she must contact the instructor within two working days of receipt of the notification.

Additional information about attendance is contained in individual course syllabi.

Classification of Students: The following are standards for the academic classification of students:

• Freshman: A student who has completed fewer than 30 credits at CNM
• Sophomore: A student who has completed 30 or more credits at CNM
• Part-time: A student enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours per term
• Full-time: A student enrolled in 12 or more credit hours per term

Course Numbering: Effective Fall 2007, courses numbered 0001-0999 are developmental or preparatory courses; 1001-1999 are freshman-level courses; 2001-2999 are sophomore-level. Prior to Fall 2007, courses numbered 1-100 were developmental or preparatory; 101-299 freshman and sophomore level.

Course Types:

academic transfer: all arts and sciences courses and specific career and technical courses designed to both meet CNM program requirements and transfer to other colleges and universities. A list of academic transfer course is available at cnm.edu.

arts and sciences courses: Courses numbered 1001 and above with the following subject codes: ANTH, ARBC, ART, ARTS, ARTH ASTR, BIO, CHEM, COMM, CST, ECON, ENG, FREN, GEOG, GER, GNHN, HIST, HUM, JOUR, MATH, MUS, NUTR, PHIL, PHYS, PORT, PSCI, PSY, RLGN, SOC, SPAN, THEA

career and technical courses: Courses numbered 1001 and above not listed as arts and sciences courses developmental courses: Courses numbered 0999 and below

Credit Hours: Credit in courses offered by CNM is awarded in terms of credit hours. Each hour of credit in a lecture class requires a minimum of 750 minutes of instruction per term; each hour of credit in a laboratory class requires a minimum of 1,875 minutes of instruction per term. For transfer purposes, one CNM credit hour generally equals one semester credit hour at other institutions.

Grading System

Final CNM grades are recorded on the student’s CNM transcript and calculated in both a term grade point average (GPA) and a cumulative GPA. Final grades are available to students through the Registration/Grades tab of my CNM. The grades awarded in all courses represent the quality of work done. Their meaning in most courses is as follows:

*Effective Fall 2003, 15-week and full-term classes dropped on or before the 15th day of that part of term/session (including Saturdays) and all other classes dropped on or before the first 1/3 of that part of term/session (including Saturdays) do not appear on the student’s CNM transcript. A “W” will appear on the student’s record for classes dropped after the dates listed above. Prior to Fall 2003, a “W” appeared on the student’s record for full-term and 12-week courses dropped after the 15th day of the term/session (including Saturdays) and for all other short-session courses dropped on or after the first day of the session.

Grade Point Average

To compute the grade point average (GPA), multiply the number of credit hours by the quality point value assigned to the letter grade for each class: A = 4 points, B = 3 points, C = 2 points, D = 1 point, F = 0 points. Then divide the total number of quality points earned by the total number of eligible credit hours attempted. See box below. (Grades of I, CR, PR, NC, W, AU and TR are not calculated in the GPA.) Effective Fall 1991, courses on the student’s transcript which have an E in the repetition column are excluded from GPA calculation.

Grade Mode (Grade Options)

CNM has the following grading options (grade modes). These options are not available for all classes. Refer to the course description for grade mode restrictions.

Traditional Grade: A, B, C, D, F. Traditional grades are used in calculating GPA. Students interested in transferring their CNM course work to another institution are encouraged to enroll in courses for a traditional grade.

Audit: Students auditing a course must meet course prerequisites, are expected to attend all class sessions, but are not required to complete assignments. Students changing from audit to any other grade mode are responsible for having met all course requirements to date, as stated in the course syllabus. Students may not enroll in courses numbered 0999 and below for audit.

Courses taken for audit will appear on the student’s transcript as AU with no credits recorded and no grades assigned. Courses taken for audit are not included in the student’s total course load for enrollment verification and cannot be used to meet a course pre- or corequisite.

Credit/No Credit: Students may elect to take arts and sciences courses for credit/no credit (CR/NC) but it is not an option for General Honors or most career and technical courses. All developmental courses are graded on a CR/NC basis.

CR (Credit): Students must meet all minimum requirements for the course. CR is the equivalent of a C or better grade. A grade of CR is not computed in the GPA but the student will receive credit for the course.

NC (No Credit): Students who do not satisfactorily complete minimum course requirements will receive NC. A grade of NC is not computed in the GPA and the student will not receive credit for the course.

Note: Some schools, scholarships and honorary societies do not accept this grading system and/or convert grades of CR to C and NC to F. Students planning to transfer to another institution should talk to an academic advisor at that institution about possible consequences of CR/NC grades.

Open-Entry, Open-Exit: Students may register for courses that have flexible entry and/or exit points with the open-entry, open-exit grading option. Depending on the course, the student may receive a traditional (A, B, C, D, F), credit/no credit (CR/NC) or an in progress (PR) grade.

Incomplete Grade Assignment and Removal

A grade of “I” (incomplete) is given when circumstances beyond the student’s control have prevented completion of the work for a course within the official dates of a term. In no case is an “I” to be used to avoid a failing grade or to allow extra time to complete work normally expected.

Removal of an “I” grade can only be accomplished by completing the work in a manner acceptable to the instructor no later than the 10th day of the following term.

An “I” not made up by the 10th day of the following term will automatically revert to an F or NC on the student’s record and cannot be changed by work completion.

Repeat Course Processing

When a student has enrolled in a course more than once, each course enrollment and all grades will appear on the student’s transcript. Only the higher grade will be used to calculate the GPA. This policy applies to courses with identical course abbreviations and numbers except for the following: topics, problems, internship and cooperative education courses and when course abbreviations and numbers change as a result of new programs and/or program revisions. It does not affect any courses taken prior to Fall 1991 (see Course Repetition Limit ).

Note: For repeat course processing CR grades are computed as a C; NC grades are computed as an F. Also, certain forms of financial aid will not provide assistance to students who repeat courses previously completed successfully. Compliance with such regulations is the student’s responsibility.

Grade Appeals

It is the student’s responsibility to communicate concerns he/she may have about any grade in a class to the instructor of the class. If the issue is not resolved, the student may formally appeal a final grade for the following reasons:

• Inconsistency between what is written in the syllabus and what is practiced;
• Grade miscalculation;
• Errors in the final exam if a change in the final exam grade would cause a change in the course grade; or
• Inconsistent classroom practices.

A student may not appeal disagreements with teaching methodologies, attendance policies or grade weighting methods.

Appeal Process: The student must begin the formal grade appeal process by obtaining a Grade Appeal Form and process guide from the school in which the course was taken and submitting it to the instructor by the end of the first week of the term following the course. If the instructor is not available the student should submit a Grade Appeal Form to an academic administrator in the school. If the request for a grade change is approved, the instructor or academic administrator will submit a grade correction to the Records Office.

If the appeal is denied, the student may further appeal to the school or directly to the Instructional Grade Appeal Board.

Registration Related Grade Appeals: A student who fails a class because he/she was physically unable to drop or complete the class, (Example: hospitalization or military service) may appeal in writing to the assistant registrar. The appeal, along with required supporting documentation, must be submitted by the end of the first week of the following term. Registration Related Grade Appeal forms are available in the Records Office at the Main Campus, the Admissions Office at all other campuses and through the Registration/Grades tab of my CNM.

Academic Renewal

Students who return to CNM after an extended absence may petition to remove complete academic terms from future degree and GPA considerations. This policy allows CNM students who had previously experienced academic difficulty to make a fresh start. Approval of the petition is based on the conditions listed below. If approved, Academic Renewal will result in a new grade point average.

1. To be eligible for Academic Renewal the student must have been absent from CNM for at least three consecutive years – 9 terms – prior to petitioning for Academic Renewal and must have completed at least 15 credit hours since his or her return with at least a 2.0 GPA.
2. Courses taken prior to Fall 1988 term are not eligible for Academic Renewal. Academic Renewal will affect all courses with grades of D or F taken between Fall 1988 and the student’s absence.
3. Academic Renewal may be granted only one time per student and cannot be reversed.
4. Any academic suspensions that occurred in the past shall remain on the student’s permanent academic record.
5. All attempted coursework and grades will remain on the student’s official transcript. All courses affected by Academic Renewal will be excluded from the GPA calculation and may not be used to meet program and/or residency requirements for future graduation. A statement will be placed on the student’s transcript indicating that Academic Renewal status was granted.
6. Academic Renewal does not affect any previous academic, financial or administrative determination made by CNM. Other institutions/agencies may or may not choose to honor this policy in evaluating a student’s transcript.
7. Academic Renewal does not override the enrollment requirements of certain programs that require a specific minimum grade point average based on all coursework. Re-entry into any academic program is not automatic.
8. Forms for Academic Renewal are available in the Records Office at Main Campus, the Admissions Office at all other campuses and through the Registration/Grades tab of my CNM.

Academic Standing

Honor Roll: The Dean’s List is compiled each term, listing students who completed 12 or more credit hours with traditional grades during the term and who achieved a term GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Graduation with Honors: Students earning cumulative GPA’s of 4.0 graduate with highest honors. Students with cumulative GPA’s of 3.6 to 3.9 graduate with honors. Degrees, certificates and official CNM transcripts note this award.

Warning: A student whose cumulative GPA is between 1.75 and 1.99 in a given term will receive a warning. Notification of academic warning appears on the student’s grade report at the end of each term.

Probation: A student whose cumulative GPA (based on at least 16 GPA credit hours attempted at CNM) falls below 1.75 in a given term will be placed on probation effective with the following term of enrollment. Students are continued on probation if they withdraw from CNM while on probation. Notification of academic probation appears on the student’s grade report at the end of each term.

Note: Some Health, Wellness & Public Safety programs may have specific requirements that affect a student’s eligibility to continue in the program. Students should refer to the program handbook.

Suspension: After two consecutive terms of probation a student will be suspended from CNM when both the term and cumulative GPA are below 1.75. The duration of the initial suspension is one term; for subsequent suspensions, one year. Notification of academic suspension appears on the student’s grade report at the end of each term and in a notification letter sent to the student.

If a suspended student has pre-registered for the next term, his/her schedule will be deleted and a refund of all fees and tuition will be authorized. A suspended student may be eligible to enroll in courses numbered 0999 and below during the student’s initial suspension period.

Suspension Appeals: A student who has been suspended may submit a written appeal (along with appropriate supporting documentation), explaining the unusual circumstances and justifying why he or she should be readmitted, to the Director of Enrollment Services, who will approve or deny the appeal. If the director denies the appeal, the appeal will be referred to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. The student may present the case to the committee in person. The decision of the Committee is final.

Student Academic Records

The Records Office maintains official academic records. These records include, but are not limited to: the admissions form, high school and/or college transcripts, grades and academic standing.

CNM’s policy for maintaining confidentiality of student academic records is in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA, P.L. 93-380, 512). Copies of the Rights and Privacy Act are available for examination in the Records Office at the Main Campus and the Admissions Offices at the Montoya and South Valley campuses and Westside Campus.

Access to Student Academic Records

All currently enrolled and former students may have access to their academic records. Other individuals and agencies that may have access to students’ records include:

• CNM officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records
• Officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
• Officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General and state and local educational authorities
• Organizations providing the student’s financial aid or determining or assisting in determining financial aid decisions concerning eligibility, amount, condition and enforcement of terms of said aid
• Federal, state and local officials or authorities if required by a state or federal law
• Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the college
• Accrediting institutions
• Organizations or individuals conducting studies for or on behalf of CNM
• Individuals serving a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena, provided that a reasonable effort is made to notify the student prior to compliance
• Honor societies and other chartered student organizations for determining membership
• Any person with the written consent of the student (release forms are available at cnm.edu)
• Appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency
• Authorized recruiters of the U.S. Armed Forces, as per the Solomon Amendment

Public Directory Information: CNM has defined public directory information as:

This information is available to the public and can be released unless an annual written request to withhold the information is on file in the Records Office. Confidentiality Request forms and Authorization for the Release of Educational Records forms are available in the Registration/Grades tab of my CNM and in the Records Office.

Challenge of Contents: Students have the right to challenge the content of their academic record if they feel the information is misleading, inaccurate or in violation of privacy or other rights. However, the fairness of a grade may not be challenged under this provision. Any dispute over the contents of the record will be handled through informal discussions between the student and the Records Office. If such informal meetings are not satisfactory, the student has the right to a formal hearing before an appeals committee. Students have the right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failures by CNM to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Change of Address: Students are expected to keep CNM informed of their current mailing and permanent addresses. Changes may be processed online through the Students tab in my CNM or written notice to the Records Office on the Main Campus or the Admissions offices at all other campuses. Address Change forms are available at any of these offices and online at cnm.edu. Address changes submitted by e-mail or by telephone are not accepted.

Change of Name: Students must bring appropriate documentation (at least two types of identification showing the new name) to the Records Office on the Main Campus or the Admissions Offices at the Montoya and South Valley campuses and Westside Campus to change their name on their CNM records. Name change forms are available at any of these offices and online at cnm.edu. Examples of such documentation are: marriage certificate, birth certificate, driver’s license, original social security card or court order for legal name change.

Release of Transcripts: Official CNM transcripts are available directly from the Records Office and through the Admissions Offices at the Montoya and South Valley campuses and Westside Campus. Transcript request forms are available at any of these offices and online at cnm.edu. Transcripts may be requested in person, by fax or by phone. Phone requests may only be used for sending transcripts to another postsecondary institution. No transcript is issued until all institutional obligations are paid. Information on transcript fees is available at cnm.edu.

Transcripts from other institutions received by CNM are not copied for or returned to students.

Social Security Number: Under the federal 1997 Tax Relief Act, CNM is required to obtain the Social Security number of each student in order to report educational credits to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to the student at the end of each tax year. Refusal to provide a valid Social Security number may result in a fine levied on the student by the IRS. The privacy of a student’s Social Security number is protected under FERPA and covered under CNM’s Access to Student Academic Records Policy (see above). A student who chooses not to use his/her SSN as their CNM student number must complete an Alternate ID Request Form, available at any Admissions office, the Records office and online at cnm.edu.

Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act: Student retention and completion data are available from CNM’s Planning, Budget and Institutional Research Office. A graduate job placement table is available here . Campus security policies and crime statistics are published in the Rules and Policies section of this catalog and online at cnm.edu.